Q: How do you determine your real blood pressure when it is labile and goes up and down many times a day? sometimes very dramatic changes within minutes.
A: Ask your doctor about 24 hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. This type of monitoring can provide valuable information about what is going on with your blood pressure. To learn more about this go to this article on the American Heart Association’s website.
Further Reading:
Blood Pressure Monitoring at Home – FamilyDoctor.org
The Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitor – GizMag.com
Loading ...
Loading ...
Your answers are not helpful to those of us who suffer with labile bp and over the top white coat syndrome. When I am nervous about taking my bp, the numbers soar. When I calm down, the drop dramatically, often immediately. The 24 hour cuff does not help me. Every time it beeps and then tightens on my arm, I panic and get a high reading. Do you have another idea for me?
Try taking your blood pressure in the comfort of your own home with your own cuff. The Mayo protocol states that you should take it three times, throwing out the first number, then averaging the final two readings. In the alternative, you can buy a good quality cuff which automatically averages for you through mam technology. Many times, due to nerves, that first reading is high compared to the other two!
When you get a good reading, let that be a reinforcement to your mental state that you are healthy and your blood pressure is normal. This should help you relax when taking it yourself, and actually you will start to enjoy finding normal readings! White coat hypertension…….I hate that, because I have it. I take my own cuff and records to the doctors office and show it to them, telling them that I am not interested in them taking my BP and spiking it up for me. Too bad if they don’t like it!
I hope this helps, and good luck to you!!
Found the comment given by D. Carestia to br right on. My white coat hypertension started after I had a carotid endarectomy that did not go to plan. Ended up with a stent being placed in the atery.
GP and physician assistant insist on taking my BP, which causes my BP to skyrocket. Next time I will give them a copy of my readings at home. If they don’t like it,too bad.